I wrote Strump: A World of Shadows during one of the most challenging points in life. In many ways my life was in a world of shadows, filled with uncertainty and looking for a way to make a difference for my family and I. During these challenging moments the concept of the word STRUMP came into my mind and inspired me to write a story. STRUMP means a great deal in the fantasy world that I created. Each letter in the name represent a magical game piece forged by King STRUMP. For example S = Strength, T= Truth, U = Unity, M = Malice, and P = Power. Each one of these Magical pieces possesses a force be fit only for a true and rightful king. However, even Kings can turn evil at times, as was the case with King STRUMP who only used the pieces for his greatness and glory that only created harm An uprising started, a king was over thrown and legend was formed.

Upon the death of King Aerostat II, two brothers, Princes Gorgan and Alexander, fight for the keys to the throne of their father’s beloved Blue Kingdom. Through a labyrinth of lies and deceit the Shadow Lord uses Gorgan, the oldest of the two brothers, to unite the pieces of a magical game board called Strump. If successful, a shadow uprising would bring death and destruction upon all the inhabitants of the Blue Kingdom. The search for truth becomes an enchanted adventure where humans and Mermen, pirates and mice, sorcerers and pixies make alliances to defend their Kingdom before it falls into…A World of Shadows.

The Creation of the Mental Damnation Series

I first came up with the concept of Mental Damnation in my math class back in high school. It started off as a doodle I was making in class that had to do with a number of other novel ideas I had in the works. The sketch was of the character Krista (who ended up being the main character for the Mental Damnation series), clutching her head while split between two worlds. One world on the left was the fantasy world I was working on and the second, to the right, was an entirely new world that was a hellish landscape. With that sketch, it sparked the story concept of having a protagonist (Krista) go to this hell in their dreams and everyone she knew in the real world, thinks the world is imaginary. The main story was one long manuscript that I had worked on shortly after high school filled with grammatical errors and several plot issues and as expected, was rejected by publishers. Not all hope was lost for it though. In 2011 I picked up the project again, like the first time I was inspired to start from working on an illustration related to the concept. Shortly after I got in touch with an editor. We reviewed the original manuscript and overhauled the whole thing, keeping the main story points but elaborating on them, filling in the blanks and correcting the structure. We also decided to split the book up into three parts titled: Reality, Dream and Fusion. Reality was released in 2012 and Dream was released late February of 2014 (behaves as the sequel and as a standalone book) with Fusion soon to follow.﻿

A background on the protagonist - Krista

Krista– full name being Kristalantice Scalebane – is introduced into the series as young, naïve reptilian teenager, whose people (the vazeleads) live far underground after being cast out from the surface by man centuries ago. Her parents and brother were slaughtered by the humans during the vazeleads' banishment. In her people's new underground city, she is considered a 'street scum' and struggles daily for survival with her closest and only friend, Darkwing. Her life becomes increasingly complicated as her people's leaders, the Five Guardians are infected with an entirely new disease known as Mental Damnation which causes the infected to think they enter a hellish world known as Dreadweave Pass ruled by a fallen god known as the Weaver. The guardians take a bizarre interest in her innocence and claim that the Weaver wants her brought to this hellish landscape. Krista's characters was first conceived from an earlier storyline that I had created in junior high. The storyline took place in the fantasy world, the Kingdom of Zingalg, which also is a part of the Mental Damnation storyline. In the introduction of Mental Damnation: Reality, it presents Krista as a cruel, inhumane warlord who is known worldwide for her crimes. The Mental Damnation storyline brings the reader back to when she is a child and how her path to corruption begins with the disease known as Mental Dammation. Krista's character continues to evolve as the story progresses from the novel Reality to Dream, giving the readers a rich background on her, her people, the fantasy world she lives in and a spine chilling story of her journey into the hell known as Dreadweave Pass.

An excerpt from Mental Damnation: DREAM

CHAPTER 5 EVERYONE HAS A SECRET

﻿ Child. Laughter flows with games. Games flow with rules. Rules flow with crime. Do you amuse yourself?Child. Patience requires discipline. Discipline requires teaching. Teaching requires patience. I’m out of the loop.Child. Will needs passion. Passion needs strength. Strength needs training. Therefore I need you.﻿Rolling around on the cot, unsettled both physically and mentally, Krista groaned. Her headache escalated to a level of pain she didn’t think was possible. Thoughts filled her mind: Why does my head hurt so much? What are these words I keep hearing when I sleep? Is this going to get worse? She had an awful feeling it was because of Ast’Bala and Danil’s marks. It wasn’t just the headaches. The rest of her body was no better; she could feel her heart beat at unstable rates. Blood rushed to her head with each pulse, making her limbs feel numb. Her skin was covered in sweat, yet her body was chilled. A voice echoed in her mind, the same voice, speaking nonsense to her for the past three nights. Every time the voice spoke, it felt as if the energy from her body was being sucked out. Through all the discomfort, Krista was unaware of her surroundings and accidentally rolled off the bed, falling onto the cold floor. She landed on her back and scurried to her feet. The rush to stand up shifted the blood flow from her head, offsetting her balance. “Shit.” Krista clutched the sides of her head in pain while swaying to keep upright. She didn’t feel safe in the small room Paladin had left her in. She felt claustrophobic. Even though small spaces had never bothered her before, it felt like she was trapped. Through the window on the opposite side of the room, Krista could see the sky was clear and dark. It was nighttime, with hundreds of stars sprinkling the midnight blue.Focus on something else. I’m on the surface world – that’s exciting! But the thoughts did no good; her body’s turmoil overpowered her will. She hissed. “I need fresh air.” Krista wobbled over to the door and tried to open it but it was locked. Right… Lightly, she knocked on the wooden door to see if anyone would hear her. “What do you want?” came a man’s muffled voice. “Hi.” She sniffed the door, trying to pick up the scent of the man behind it. It was the guard from the night before when she’d been in the previous room. “What?” the guard asked again. “I’d like out; I want to take a walk.” The guard sighed. “Paladin ordered that your door remains shut unless he says otherwise.” Krista’s headache flared again. “Bring him here, then!” She pounded on the door. I don’t have time for this. The guard did not respond. Krista weakly hit the door once more while she slid to her knees. “Open the door…”Child!

“The voices won’t go away.” Krista groaned and lay down on the stone floor, still clutching her head. It was obvious that the guard could care less about her pleading. She was just as displeased with the night as the day; the temperature had dropped, making the room feel subzero. The droplets on her skin were cool and her forehead burned.

Child! Listen…

“Go away!” Krista cried out. She didn’t think she would reply to the voice; she was certain it was only in her mind. But the closer she listened, the less the harsh voice seemed to be her imagination.

Girl, listen…

Slowly Krista rose from the ground, keeping her hands on the door for support. She brushed her hair aside and looked around the room – where was the voice coming from?

Closer…

At first the voice seemed frightening, but the more attention she gave it, the more soothing it sounded and the clearer it became.Yes, child...

She focused on the voice and her headache began to calm down and her heart rate returned to normal.Closer…Krista pinpointed the voice; it was coming from the window and she slowly walked from the doorway to the window frame. She didn’t know why she listened to its command, but it made her headache go away and that was worth it. Her body was exhausted and the voice seemed so welcoming. She reached the window and saw nothing, so she leaned against the bricks and looked outside. Her eyes were used to the darkness and she could see very clearly compared to the daytime. Now she could scan the whole barracks; in the distance there were stables, a garden surrounded by a crisscrossed fence, and various other buildings all surrounded by massive red brick walls.

Here, child!The voice didn’t originate from outside, but from the cracks within the metal window frame. Krista squinted. “Hello?”Wake up, child!She shook her head. “But I am awake.” Black smoke slowly began to rise out of the crack and into the air. Krista backed away from it and took a sniff, trying to pick up on the scent, but it was odorless. More smoke began to fill the room and swirled around in the air. It continued to grow outwards, still staying in a compressed lump. The more smoke that came out, the more it began to take shape. At first there were two lumps, one on top and another bigger one on the bottom. The bottom lump stretched out and the shape of arms began to form, while the top lump began to mold into a head with an extended muzzle. Bright blue smoke with a soft glow emerged from the crack, funneling inside the black smoke. It channeled through the black shape, and bore a striking resemblance to a creature known as a shade Krista had encountered in the underworld. Shades were intelligent lizard-shaped creatures that were highly tuned to presences that could not be detected with the five senses. Their bodies were made up of a translucent outer layer with a darker, black core inside, like an inverse version of the black and blue smoke. A shade’s inner essence was said to be its spiritual portion – the one that could detect the feelings, thoughts and motives of those around them – while the exterior was its physical existence, used to feed on flesh. Combined, the two shapes gave shades two unique bodies in a single bundle of existence.The scary part about shades is they can read my thoughts. Krista swallowed heavily, recalling the time she and Darkwing had broken into a potion shop and she’d been attacked by the shopkeeper’s pet shade, which went wild at sensing her fear. But shades are smooth, not all smoky. The black and blue smoke formed bright eyes, razor teeth and long, matted, tentacle-like hair. The wispy arms were thin but looked strong, and the hands had one thumb and two fingers each, with extended claws. The smoke began to compress and take on the texture of a smooth surface, almost like Krista’s skin. The moonlight highlighted portions of the ethereal body. Around the neck was a golden collar with hieroglyphics painted around it, very similar to the glyphs she’d seen in the Church of the Four Nights. The being did not grow legs; its torso merged into the smoke, which remained attached to the crack in the window. Krista’s jaw dropped. She was unsure whether she should be afraid or amazed. Either way, her headache was gone and her body stopped working in overdrive. The being folded its arms and let out a deep growl. Its eyes locked on Krista. “So it appears you remain in this realm, child.” The gravelly voice, that of a male, was followed by a close echo, almost sounding like two beings were talking simultaneously. Krista scratched her head, uncertain what he meant. She was too distracted by his appearance. “What are you?” “I am a ghoul. You’ve not heard of such?” Krista shook her head. “First sighting always horrifies mortals, yet you remain calm. Why do you not fear me?” “I didn’t see anything to be afraid of.” She massaged the side of her head. “Your voice is very soothing,” she said as a compliment. The ghoul hissed. “What’s your name, child?” “Krista.” She walked back and took a seat on her bed. “Yours?” “I am Malpherities.” He looked down at the scar on her arm. “That’s a deep wound. How are you not dead?” “Paladin saved me.” The ghoul’s white eyes widened and he let out a satanic screech, his vocal cords vibrating at rapid speeds. The sound was like a thousand cries erupting from the deep depths of his throat. Krista covered her ears to block out the shocking sound. She glanced back at the door to see if the guard would open it, but it remained closed. Malpherities snorted. “Paladins cause nothing but chaos and havoc. They shove words of lies into your ears and poison your mind with false promises.”He really doesn’t like paladins. Krista uncovered her ears. “You’re a ghoul, you said?” “Yes. Therefore, paladins are not my allies.” “Why?” “We feast on the dead.” “But not the living?” “No, not while the spirit is still in the body. A body with a spirit keeps it holy, and anything holy will burn me.” “Paladins are holy, and you are not. So that’s why they’re not your allies. That makes sense.” “Correct, child.” “Are you from the underworld? I’ve seen something like you there; it’s called a shade.” “Shades? No, child. Those diminutive creatures are trapped between this world and the afterlife. Their physical bodies here are of a beast, and their spirit is capable of so much more.” The ghoul put on a wicked grin, showing the army of razor sharp teeth across his jaws. “If anything, I feel sorry for shades. Such brilliance locked inside a limiting existence.” Malpherities moved closer to Krista and ran his claw from the mark on her neck, trailing down to the second mark on her palm with one long claw. “I come from Dreadweave Pass, child.” Malpherities’ words flashed Krista back to Guardian Danil, him holding her captive in the Church of the Four Nights, chaining her on the stone altar and carving the large gash into her arm.So Danil did infect me. I do have Mental Damnation! Krista gasped and got up from the bed, rushing to the door. “Don’t take me to Dreadweave Pass! I don’t want to go!” She pounded on the door. “Help!” “Silence, child! Hush and let me explain. If the humans hear you, your life will become very complicated.” Krista stopped pounding and looked over her shoulder; she felt sick to her stomach. She had seen Ast’Bala and Danil, protectors of her people, change completely both physically and mentally from this Mental Damnation. What could the disease do to her? “I don’t want to end up like my guardians.” Krista turned around. “What’s going to happen to me?” She hugged her arms around her. “I’m not to bring you to Dreadweave Pass, child. Gatekeeper Danil has already accepted you into the realm.” “He hasn’t taken me there yet, though. He only gave me this scar and this mark on my hand.” She pointed at her arm. “Danil is sophisticated. The scar on your arm has nothing to do with Dreadweave Pass or the Weaver – it was his free doing. Its meaning or purpose, I do not know. But the mark on your palm is your acceptance into Dreadweave Pass; his touch on your skin was enough. The first mark you got – the one on your neck – was just a flag to show Danil you were chosen. The other gatekeeper could not give you the full mark himself.” “Why couldn’t he?” Krista asked. “He has been given other duties from the Weaver.” He looked around the tiny room. “I have been trying to contact you in your sleep, to find you before the Weaver does.” “Who is the Weaver?” Krista walked over to her bed, feeling a cold breeze enter the room. “The Weaver rules Dreadweave Pass, and chooses the gatekeepers.” “So you were talking to me in my dreams?” “If I did, you would have known my name already.” Krista felt her stomach turn upside down. “Someone has been talking to me in my sleep. Is it the Weaver?” “Possibly.” “Why did you want to find me? Are you going to help me get away from him?” “No one can escape the Weaver’s realm.” Krista frowned, confused. Malpherities looked to the ground. “Your dreams will only get worse, child, and turn into nightmares.” “Can you stop them?” “No, I cannot; they’re only images of Dreadweave Pass. Your visions will grow stronger until they become real. The feelings you feel during the night, the headaches, will grow stronger until you finally cross realms.” “Why have you been trying to contact me if you can’t even help me?” “I can’t prevent the inevitable, but when you reach Dreadweave Pass, there is a world of opportunity if you have the right guide.” “I don’t want to go. I don’t want opportunity. I can’t go!” “You will go, child! Then I’ll teach you to master realm-crossing at will. Just because you’re in the Weaver’s realm doesn’t mean you cannot evade him. There is value in having you in the afterlife – there is a much larger issue at hand.” “Realm-crossing? To Dreadweave Pass? What larger issue? ” The locks to the room twisted and the door flung open. Krista turned to see Paladin enter her room. She gasped and brought her arms to her chest. “Hi.” Paladin eyed Krista’s sweat-drenched body and messy hair. “The guard heard you yelling to yourself,” he said. She turned to Malpherities only to see an empty room. He was gone. “Who was I yelling at?” Krista asked, looking back at Paladin. “Are you sure you’re fine, Krista?” Paladin asked. Krista nodded. “I just need to get some rest.” “All right, the doctor should be returning to the barracks soon. I think he’ll help you greatly,” Paladin said, leaving the room. “Good night,” Krista called out. The door closed and the locks snapped together. She looked around the room again, but she was completely alone. There was no sign that Malpherities had ever visited.